Pre-service Teachers' Characteristics Predict their Technological Knowledge: An Exploratory Multiple-Regression Design

Abstract

Academic discourse has highlighted the influence of pre-service teachers' technological knowledge as a cord linking their pedagogy and content integration. However, pre-service teachers' demographic characteristics play a crucial role in their technological knowledge development. As a result, this study examined how prospective teachers' demographic variables predict their technological knowledge. A census survey with an exploratory multiple-regression design was adopted to test the relationship of the predictive variables (programme of study, gender, central area of specialization, and minor area of specialization) of Abetifi Presbyterian College of Education pre-service teachers. A census technique was used to include all the 379 level 400 pre-service teachers pursuing Bachelor of Education (Primary Education) and Bachelor of Education (Junior High School Education) for the 2021/2022 academic year. A five-point closed-ended questionnaire with a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.758 was used as the primary data collection instrument. The study's findings indicated that prospective teachers were technologically knowledgeable in recognizing, accepting, adapting, exploring and advancing technological resources. The study's findings established that demographic variables were statistically significant predictors of pre-service technological knowledge. For teacher training institutions to address the technological challenges of prospective teachers, technological resources applicable within their subject areas of specialization should be used during instruction. Teacher educators should consider the background characteristics of prospective teachers in order to select and adjust technological resources to whip prospective teachers' interest in the use of innovative resources during instruction.